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Defense Ministry: musicians of Russian army choir, reporters onboard missing Tu-154 plane

The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed disappearance of the Tu-154 aircraft with 91 people on board

MOSCOW, December 25. /TASS/. Musicians of the Russian army choir, the Alexandrov Ensemble, mass media representatives and servicemen were onboard the Tu-154 plane that went missing after taking off from Sochi, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

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Russian military aircraft en route to Syria disappears from radars after takeoff

"Those onboard the Tu-154 plane that disappeared from radars were servicemen of Russia’s Armed Forces and also performers of the Alexandrov Ensemble who also flew to congratulate with the New Year the air group of Russia’s Aerospace Forces at the Hmeymim airbase (in Syria) as well as nine representatives of Russian mass media," the statement said.

Earlier a source in emergency services told musicians of the Alexandrov Ensemble were on board.

The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed disappearance of the Tu-154 aircraft with 91 people on board.

"The mark… of Tu-154 aircraft disappeared during the scheduled flight from the airport in Adler at 05.40 am Moscow Time. 83 passengers and 8 crewmembers were on board," the press service said.

"All search and rescue services of aviation units of the Southern Military District in Krasnodar and neighboring regions are engaged in aircraft search," the Defense Ministry said.

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